Coupling.



A. SCHMIDT. cQuPLlNG.

` APPucATlo V15. 1912. Ll. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

mw 1 .1 /Wfwmm of the operator.

ALBERT SCHMIDT, n

oF FLINT, MICHIGAN,

0F FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNDR T0 CHAMPION IGNITION COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

` COUPLING'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Application led July 16, 1912. Serial No. 709,699.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT SCHMIDT., a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Flint, in the county of Genesee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplings, of wh1ch the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. s The invention relates to couplers more particularly designed for use as electrical connectors, and it is the object of the invention to obtain a construction which may be readily engaged or disengaged when desired, but is effectively locked from accidental displacement.

To this end the invention consists in various features of construction as -hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: Figure l is an elevation of the coupler with the members thereof detached. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section'showing the manner of engaging the two members of the coupling. Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 2. F ig` 4 is a longitudinal section similar to Fig. .l to show the members in engagement.

For the connection of electrical conductors with spark-plugs and similar electrical devices, it is desirable to provide means for quickly attaching and detaching the contacts, and for locking them from displacement when in engagement. The usual method'is to provide a binding post or a threaded shank and an adjustable nut upon thev spark-plug, for clamping the coperating Contact of the conductor. This construction is, however, objectionable, as the nuts are frequently detached and lost and require considerable time for their adjustment. With the'present invention the coperating contacts may be engaged or disengaged without thea detachment or adjustment of any part, and by a simple movement on the part I `urthermore', when engaged, the contacts are held securely from accidental displacement.

As shown in Figs. l to 4, A is one of the coperating contact 'members which is provided with a head portion B, and a shank of lesser diameter. This shank is stepped or provided with two portions C and C of different diameter, being preferably integral .with a base portion D, which may be secured by a threaded engagement to the shank E of the electrode, or by any. other suitable means. F is the coperating contact member which is apertured at G for the passage of the head B therethrough, and has a smaller aperture H adaptedto receive the portion C of the shank. The apertures'G and are connected by a slot I, which is restricted in width to less than the diameter of the portion C of the shank, but equal to the portion C thereof; so that the member A may be inserted through the aperture G and then adjusted into engagement with thc aperture H. J is a resilient tongue member for the member F, which is adapted to bear upon the member A so as to normally hold the larger portions C of the stepped shank 1n engagement with the aperture H. In thisl position the inwardly extending lugs K, about the opposite sidesof the slot I, will prevent the member F from displacement longitudinally, or the disengagement by such a movement of the portion C from the aperture H.

The member F is preferably struck up from sheet metal. The resilient tongue portion J is formed by the portion of metal removed in forming the apertures G and H and slot I, and is struck upward to normally standin a slightly different plane. Both portions of the blank are integral with a shank portion L, which is bent around for engagement with the insulator cover of the connecting conductor. There are also struck inward from the metal4 of thc shank L the points M of triangular form, which will penetrate through the insulation into contact with the conductor inclosed thereby. Thus the electrical current passes from the conductor through the point M to the member J and from the latter to the coperating contact member A when in engagement therewith.

For mechanically coupling or uncoupling the members and F, the operator first passes the head B through'the aperture G,

and then presses it against the spring-tongue J, which will yield sufficiently to move the member F into the plane of the reduced portion C of the shank. When in this plane a relative longitudinal movement of the members F and A will throw the former through the slot I into the aperture H; the pressure may then be released, whereupon the resiliency of the spring-tongue J will force the member F into a plane where the larger portion C of the shank is engaged with the aperture. H. Thus longitudinal movement is prevented, as the slot I is of lesser Width than thediameter of the portion' C and consequently Will not permit *itv to pass therethrough.

WhileI have described my invention as specifically' applicable to electrical connectors, it is obvious that it might be employed as a connector for a purely mechanical funetion.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination With a member having portions of different diameters providing'a shoulder, and having a bearing portion on its outer end, of. a member apertured for engagement'w'iththe larger diameter portion and having an entrance slot to said aperture of lesser Width, engageable 'with a portion of the lirst-mentioned member of smaller diameter, and a resilient retainer extending laterally in relation to the lirstmentioned member and engaging said bearing portion von the outer end, said resilient retainer serving to yieldably hold said apertured member in engagement with .said shoulder.

2. The combination with a member having a stepped shank and provided with a bearing portion on its outer surface, of a member apertured for engagement With the larger diameter step and having an entrance slot to said aperture of lesser width, engageable With the smaller diameter step, and a resilient tongue engaging said bearing portionon the outer surface, said resilient tongue serving to yieldably hold said apertured member in the plane of the larger step. 3. The combination with a headed member having a cross-section of varying diameter in different planes, of a coperating member apertured to fit the larger cross-section of said shank and having an entrance slot to said aperture of lesser width, adapted to receive the smaller cross-section of said shank, 'and a resilient tongue secured to said apertured member, having an outer bearing on said headed member, said tongue serving to yieldably hold the apertured portion of the coperating member Vin the plane of the larger cross-section.

4. The combination with a memberhavi ing a shank of different diameters in differholding said apertured member in larger step ent planes and provided With a bearing on its outer surface, of a member formed of a sheet metal stamping having asocket shank for engaging an insulated conductor, and a projecting portion apertured to it the larger cross-section of said shank With an entrance slot for receiving the smaller cross-section, and a spring tongue integral with said member engaging said bearing on the outer surface, said tongue yieldably holding the projecting portion in the plane of the larger cross-section of saidshank.

5. The combination with aheaded member having a stepped shank of a coperating member formed i'rom a sheet'metal blank fashioned to have a socket portion for en- 'gaging a conductor and a portion aperture to it the larger step of said shank Withv a larger aperture for receiving the head of the coperating member, connected With the smaller aperture by an entrance slot restricted to the Width of the smaller step and a resilient tongue formed from the metal removed Jfrom said apertures, for yieldably the plane of the larger step. e

6. The combination Witha headed member having a stepped shank, of a coperating l member having an aperture for receiving the of said shank, an entrance slot to said aperture limited to receive the smaller step,the portions of said coperating member removed to form said aperture and entrance slot forming a resilient tongue for-yieldably holding the apertured portion in thev plane of the larger step'.

-7. The combination with a member having a shank of variable size, of a coperating member formed of a sheet metal stamping having a slot of variable width therein for receiving said shank, the smaller Width of slot being at the entrance thereto and being adapted to engage thesmaller size of shank, the portion of the coperating member removed to form the slot forming a tongue for yieldably holding the slotted portion in engagement with saidshank.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' ALBERT SCHMIDT.

lVitnesses:

MAGIBEL Buisman, B. DE GUICHARD. 

